Reality
by Maseymoo
Summary: Reality follows the story of Katy Felding, lost in strange world, she needs to find her way home before it's too late. Not all is as it seems. The only person that can save her is herself. Will she be strong enough to escape? Or will she be forever trapped? Part 1 complete, now Katy is with the Assassins, adventure lies ahead.. (More in A/N)
1. Chapter 1

So this is a re imagining of my last story called Wrong Place, Wrong Time. The start of this story follows the old once quite closely, but there are some significant changes in the over all plot and end goal. I've taken some time to actually practice writing fiction stories, manage them and my time to stay inspired. I have taken some cues from various reviews left by readers and built on those ideas, doing proper research in to certain aspects of characters to try and make them as realistic and believable as possible.  
>The old story ended up stagnating for me because I felt it wasn't really going anywhere, mostly because I never planned anything in advance, I just sat down and wrote a chapter at a time and uploading it, that just didn't work.<br>Hopefully, by taking more time and putting more effort into it, this fan fiction will be a success. For me anyway.  
>This is set, much like Assassin's Creed, in both present day and the time period of the game (1191). It follows the story of a girl called Katy, she gets lost and needs to find her way home. Rating is for language and some other delicate subjects, I'll endeavour to put trigger warnings at the head of any chapters that need them.<br>I have a dedicated writing blog on Tumblr where I'll be posting links to new chapters along with some behind the scenes stuff, concepts for future fics and some original short stories. It's called (andalusafics)  
>Enough babbling! Please enjoy, rate, review, follow or whatever. Feedback is always appreciated. Happy reading!<p>

.

o

.  
>Rain poured from grey clouds, a flicker of lightening illuminated a messy bedroom, thunder rolled and crackled and a 19 year old girl jumped as she showered in the adjoining room. She almost slipped on the wet floor, but caught herself before she lost her footing completely. Katy then decided to get on to solid, non slippery ground, so she rinsed her hair, turned the water off and grabbed a towel before exiting the shower cubicle.<p>

"Fuck storms." Katy muttered to herself as she scrubbed her body dry, "Fuck the rain." She continued, pulling on her loose fitting pyjamas. She ruffled her brown hair with the towel, before wrapping it around her head like a turban. "Fuck the weather." She finished, meandering in to her bedroom.

It wasn't that she was scared of weather like this, it did freak her out sometimes, but Katy didn't like surprises in any way, shape or form. Considering the sky was completely clear with not a single cloud in sight less then fifteen minutes ago when she got in the shower, the sudden storm shocked her.

Katy looked out of the small window in disgust. _Well, I guess that's ruined my plans for the rest of the day_, she thought and stuck her middle finger up at the clouds. She sat down on her bed and reached for her phone which was buzzing away on her bedside table, 'Manda calling, no doubt. Katy pressed the call accept button, brought her phone to her ear and greeted her best friend with her best posh voice, "You have reached the office of Katy Felding, how can I help you?"

"I've phoned to complain about the awful weather service you're providing." 'Manda replied, not missing a beat.

"I know, right?" Katy flopped on to her bed, listening to her friend chuckle on the other end of the line, "It's shit."

"Freak storm or what? Don't suppose you still fancy coming out later?" Asked 'Manda.

"Nah, I'm not going out in this, I'll definitely come over to yours tonight though."

Her friend sighed down the phone, loudly, "Fair enough, I'll text you."

They exchanged goodbyes then hung up. Katy looked back out the window, the rain hadn't let up even a little bit. She rolled over so she was facing the TV and reached down to pick up her Xbox controller and television remote, switching everything on, she waited for the game to load. Katy had completed Assassin's Creed a long time ago, but still enjoyed playing through every now and then, trying to pick up any achievements she might have missed.

It was a much needed distraction from life at the moment. Katy listened to the steadily rising voice of her mother as she waited for the game to load. On the phone to her father again, a seemingly pleasant conversation descending in to an argument. Again. The girl sighed and burrowed her face into her duvet in a futile attempt to banish the one side of what was probably a stupid fight between her parents. _Why can't they go five minutes without a god damned screaming match!?_

Of course it got to her, there was enough animosity in the air since her brother, Jamie, moved back in after finishing University. While he was there he met a girl called Jenny, he had asked her to marry him on the day of their graduation and she'd said yes. The only problem was, he couldn't find a job, even with a fancy degree, so he'd had to move back home with his new fiancée. Jenny wasn't happy about it and she made that very clear.

Katy looked up at her television screen, the game had booted up, the title screen of Assassin's Creed had appeared, finally. She pressed the A button to start the game, but nothing happened. A glance at the controller in her hand showed it had disconnected from the console. With a loud huff, Katy pushed herself off the bed and over to the Xbox. As she pushed the button to reconnect the controller three things happened simultaneously. A loud shout from her mother echoed through the house, an earth shattering crash of thunder shook the windows and a blinding flash of light consumed her. Katy's body convulsed slightly before she fell to the ground and her entire world slipped away.


	2. Chapter 2

Part 2

Whatever Katy was lying on was uneven, it hurt. What felt like small stones were digging into her back. With a quiet groan she opened her eyes and stared at the sky. The clear, blue, storm-cloud-free sky. Katy blinked a couple of times, the fact she was no longer in her home was slowly becoming clearer. Faraway sounds of people, birds and horses drifted towards her. _I must be dreaming._

Katy sat up and looked around, taking in her surroundings. The air was dark and slightly cool, a place that seemed to be in constant shadow, the was a tall sandstone wall on either side of her, she could probably stretch her arms out and touch both at the same time. The ground had a slightly grimy feel to it as she brushed against it with her finger tips, and it was littered with small, sharp stones.

Her heartbeat was speeding up, she could feel it pounding in her chest as panic began to set in. _This has to be a dream._ Katy thought, trying to calm herself. _Has to be._ She quickly stood up, ignoring the stabbing pain as stones dug into the palm of her hand and the soles of her bare feet. Katy lurched forward, one hand on a wall to steady her. She took small, cautious steps, trying to avoid the stones. The path took a sharp turn to the right, before taking the corner she peered around it and saw that it led onto a bright, bustling street.

With a small sigh of relief, Katy moved toward the light at a brisk walk. All the sounds and smells getting louder, stronger. They seemed more and more real. She stopped just before she stepped out into the main street. She couldn't move. _This is too real_. It hit her like a brick wall, crushing the air out of her lungs. _This is actually real._ Katy's breathing hitched as she struggled to comprehend it. _Where am I?_

Then something _did_ hit her, it hit her hard, sending her stumbling backwards. Katy let out a sharp cry as her head rebounded off one of the walls with a sickening crack. She blinked, trying to clear the stars and spots from her vision, as she sagged against the wall she put a hand to the back of her head where it had connected with the wall. Katy looked around to see what had shoved her.

Even in the half light of the alley, the impairment of her sight, the confusion of everything that had happened in the past five minutes, there was no mistaking it. Katy's mind screamed at her as she watched the man in a long white coat get to his feet less than a metre away from her. The hood of the coat was dislodged giving her a momentarily clear view of his face before he pulled it forward, casting a dark shadow over his features. A sword at his hip, a finger missing from his left hand and a scar on his barely visible lips.

"Oh, my God." Katy gasped, panic definitely beginning to take over. _That's Altair! What the actual fuck is going on?_

Katy shrank back against the wall as he strode over to her. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to breathe steadily when he stopped right in front of her. _This is a dream, he can't hurt me, he can't hurt me, he ca-_ Even her thought's were failing to function.

"You saw nothing." The Assassin stated, simple, yet forceful, as if there would be fatal repercussions if she admitted otherwise.

Shaking like a leaf, Katy whimpered and nodded furiously, tears leaked from her tightly closed eyes. Then the air directly before her cooled slightly, the light coming through her eyelids was a bit brighter, all she heard was a whisper of his cloak, a single scrape against the wall and she knew he was gone. Katy sighed and relaxed her face, her eyes still closed and she was still leaning against the wall, but she allowed herself to breathe as tears rolled down her cheeks.

Less than a minute passed before Katy was confronted by even more people, five out of breath and very angry looking men dressed in mail plunged into the alley. She let out a small frightened sound as they rounded on her, their drawn swords glinting dangerously in the dull light. Katy watched the sharp weapons as the men approached her, openly leering with scorching eyes, making her skin crawl. One of the men grabbed her by the neck and pushed her back against the wall.

"Which way did he go?" The guard asked fiercely.

His breath smelled foul, mixed with the stench of blood, rust and death the group of men had brought with them, it was all Katy could do to not throw up. _Oh, my God. What that hell is happening, why is this happening?_. Katy just wanted to be left alone so she break down and sob her heart out in peace. This was all too much.

"Speak, girl!" The man ordered, his voice a lot louder, demanding an answer.

Katy opened her mouth to try and say something, but nothing came out. She sucked in a long, laboured breath. A mistake. She retched as all the disgusting smells, the panic and disorientation caught up with her. The guard gave her a look and backed off slightly, giving her some room. He still wanted an answer, he raised his sword and glared at Katy.

"I know he came this way, you drunken wretch," he spat, "Just point in the direction he went."

With a despairing cry, Katy pointed down the alley, the direction she had come from. The man huffed, then barked at the other four gesturing down the alley, they all set off at a brisk walk, laughing, most probably at the poor girl who had just vomited up the contents of her stomach, which wasn't much.

She wondered a little way towards the main street but remained in the alley, Katy sank to the ground and covered her face with her hands. **_This is real._** Her own mind had decided _**This is real and we're trapped in a game.**_ She whimpered and began to rock back and forth on her heels. _Why is this happening? Why? Why? Why?..._

* * *

><p><span>AN:- I've yet to work out a proper schedule for releasing updates, but at the moment, I'm sort of feeling every 2-4 days for now? I might slow it down when I have less than at least two chapters completed and waiting to release. I only want to do it like if it get's to a point where I get bad writer's block or if I'm busy with other commitments, I can still give you guys something and not stress out about it. I'll try and keep A/Ns to a minimum after this, thank you for reading. Please leave a review, I'd love to hear from you guys!


	3. Chapter 3

Part 3

* * *

><p>After some time she eventually stopped crying. It was all too much, Katy was still half convinced this was just a hyper realistic dream. The cuts on her hand and feet were beginning to throb painfully, almost trying to prove to her that this was, in fact, real. Try as she might, she couldn't ignore it. Despite how uncomfortable she was, she remained slumped against the wall in a daze, not registering the small number of people that walked right past her in the alley. They were too busy taking a short cut through the narrow street between some buildings, going about their daily business, the likelihood any of them would spare a second glance at what would appear to be some beggar girl.<p>

By the time Katy found the energy within herself to move the sky was darkening, there was a slight chill in the air causing her to shiver. She winced when she stood up, the lacerations on the feet had mostly dried, but they reopened when she put weight on them, almost feeling the dirt from the ground being pushed into the open wounds as she limped towards the open street.

Katy paused at the mouth of the alley, looking suspiciously up and down the street. There were a few people milling around, on last minute errands before the sun disappeared from the sky completely. Taking a deep breath to calm herself, she moved cautiously, slowly, mostly to keep as much distance between herself and other people as possible, but also to avoid any particularly rough patches on the ground.

Out in the open, she noticed people were looking at her, whispering to one another almost angrily. Katy kept her eyes on the ground, trying to keep her face covered by her hair to avoid the hostile staring. She hugged her arms around her body, ignoring the whispers that were getting steadily louder, closing in. The air was thick with murmuring._**YOUR HAIR.**_

Katy stopped dead, eyes wide with shock. The thought had come suddenly, loudly, almost, and completely caught her off guard. She brought a hand up to touch her loose hair then looked around. _Of course._ Casting another glance around, Katy spotted a merchant closing his shop for the day, he kept a weary eye on her as she approached. However, when she stood before him, he refused to look at her, busying himself with the task at hand.

"Sir?" Katy addressed him quietly, "P-please, sir." A little louder, he still kept his back to her, until she reached out and lightly touched his arm.

The man recoiled from the feather light touch and turned to glower at her, "Get away from me, girl," his voice low and harsh, "Get away now, or I will call the guards."

Katy gasped and pulled away from him, tears springing to her eyes, she stepped back, putting her right foot down on a piece of broken pottery. _If this was dream, the pain would have woken me, surely?_ Katy cried out in pain as she fell to the floor once more. _Why, why, why?_

The merchant quickly finished packing away his goods, obviously distressed about Katy's presence. He tried again to shoo her away, but it was clear she wouldn't be moving any time soon. She was crumpled on the floor, crying and shaking. Katy barely noticed him shuffling around her, but she was defeated, there was too much to even try and comprehend. As the merchant departed he dropped a large rag in her lap. "Cover yourself, girl." He said quietly, and then he was gone.

* * *

><p>AN: There's no set chapter length, so they will always vary, they do get longer as the story progresses though.  
>Thank you to the people who have followed this story, muchly appreciated!<br>As always, please leave a review if you are so inclined. I'd love any and all feedback you have to throw at me.


	4. Chapter 4

Part 4

Katy woke to find herself leaning against the cold, hard stone of a crumbling building. The temperature had dropped during the night and she was shivering violently, her teeth chattered and she could barely move. She pulled the thin rag around her shoulders, hoping she could trap whatever body heat she might have left. The sky was dark, not black, with no lights to pollute the air the sky was filled with stars, more than she had ever seen before. Katy closed her eyes and hummed to herself, placing her head softly back against the wall. _This is as good a night to die as any._

Again, she woke up, still freezing cold, but her body had stopped shaking. She could barely open her eyes, her eyelids fluttered as she tried to focus on the moving form that seemed to be hovering above her. People were talking, but the voices were muffled, as if they were on the other side of a wall. A woman was crying. Katy didn't care, she couldn't feel anything. _Why am I not dead?_ Her head lolled as someone pulled her into a sitting position, a strong grip on both her wrists. She knew she should be fighting back, strange people were manhandling her in a faraway place, but there was no strength left in her body. Suddenly, she was being lifted. Carefully, delicately.

"..such a pale complexion.." Bathed in warmth, tendrils of steam rose around her, the smell of lye drifted in the air, Katy awoke once more. "..a bit thin.." There was something rubbing the palm of her injured hand and what felt like a comb being pulled through her hair. "..breathing is stronger." Voices surrounded her, gentle and quiet, not quite whispers.

Katy groaned softly and opened her eyes, looking around she could see two women peering at her. "Such beautiful eyes." One of them cooed. The other smiled in agreement and returned to cleaning the cut on her hand. Katy sat up abruptly and her hand out of the younger woman's grip, splashing the strange women with water. _Why am I naked? Why are these people bathing me?_ The elder woman tutted and pushed at Katy's shoulder, encouraging her to sit back in the tub. _Not happening._ Instead, Katy curled up and tried to cover as much of her naked body as possible.

"We need to finish bathing you, girl." The elder woman insisted, but Katy shock her head, refusing to lie back. The younger reached out and touched her shoulder. "Please, miss, before our master returns, or we shall get in tro-"

"No!" Katy yelled out, cringing away from the woman's hand. "No, don't touch me, get away from me!" More water splashed over the women and onto the ground as she scrambled out of the tub. She was scared, so scared, and her instinct was to run and get as far away from the current situation as possible. The furthest she could get was a wall not even 6 feet away from the women. "I just want to go home." Katy whimpered and leaned against the wall, her head tilted into it, knees pulled up to her chest and kept there by the tight circle of her arms, hands grasping at the wet skin of her forearms.

The women simply watched her, not really sure how to handle her outburst, they let her cry for a while, then the older one approached Katy on silent feet. She crouched down in front of the shaking girl. She said a few soft words, trying to calm her, before gently placing a blanket around Katy's shoulders. "Nu'm," she called to the other woman, "I think she should sleep now." The young woman made a noise in agreement, "I shall tell Talal where to find you." then left the room. The older lady addressed Katy then, "Please let me help you up."

Disorientated by everything, all Katy could do was nod. "My name is Jaida." The woman said quietly as she pulled Katy to her feet, supporting most of her weight, she dried her with the blanket then dressed her in a loose fitting robe. "I know you must be very confused." The girl nodded, Jaida guided her to the door and out into a dark, narrow hallway. "You were found by our master, nearly dead," the woman explained, "Though no obvious reason why, only cuts on your feet and hand," Jaida looked down at the girl and frowned slightly, "perhaps malnourished, you are overly slender, child." They stopped in front of a dark wooden door, pausing while Jaida pushed it open.

This room was smaller than the room with the bath, there was a strange smell in the air, it was lit only by a small oil lamp. There was a narrow cot pushed up against one of the walls and not much else, not that there was room for any other furniture. Jaida laid Katy down on the cot and sat cross legged in the small space on the floor between Katy and the other wall. Katy looked up at the woman, all she could see was shadow, a darker patch of air. "Why am I here?" She asked, voice hoarse and dry.

Jaida looked once more at Katy and let out a soft, sympathetic hum. "As I said, my master, Talal, found you near to death during the night. He brought you back here because he is a kind and generous man, he takes in and protects those who can not do so for themselves." _Talal._ Katy thought, _I know that name._ Though she couldn't put a face to it. "You have been cleaned," Jaida continued, "And your injuries have been tended, so infection should not set in." _Why is she being so nice to me?_ "Where am I?" The older woman looked a bit confused by the question and answered slowly, "You are in the safe keeping of Tal-"

"No," Katy interrupted her, "Like, what's the name of the city I'm in?" Jaida looked even more perplexed, a little worried by her lack of personal awareness. "You do not remember?" The inquiry was quiet. Katy shook her head slightly, wishing she hadn't as a wave of nausea hit her. "You are in the city of Jerusalem, child." The girls eyes widened. _Jerusalem._ Jaida made a clucking noise at the back of her throat and stood. "You should rest, I must go to my master now."

The door closed behind the woman with a soft thud leaving Katy alone again, which she was grateful for. In the dim light cast by the oil lamp flickered, shadows danced on the walls and ceiling, Katy watched them with unseeing eyes and let her thoughts dance along with them. Her head was spinning, she felt dizzy, sick. _Nothing about this makes sense, this is impossible, __**crazy.**_

* * *

><p><span>AN: Thanks to everyone that has taken the time to have a read my story, if you like it, let me know. Review! If you don't like it and have some constructive criticism, let me know. Review! If you just want to say hi, say hi. Review! I'd love to hear from you guys! :) x


	5. Chapter 5

Part 5

The lamp went out at some point, the room was plunged into complete darkness and, as time passed, the strange smell in the air got stronger, more unpleasant. Every now and then the muffled sound of footsteps and hushed voices passed the door, an occasional, distant shout punctuated the air. There was a sinister feeling about this place. Everything felt like it was happening around her, like she was in a glass box and just watching her surroundings change.

Katy had no part in this world, no reason to be here, but she was lost. There was no way to leave, no way to get back, it was impossible for her to be here in the first place. _It must be just as impossible to get home._ She was scared and confused. The different feelings seemed to take it in turns to bubble to the surface of her mind, Katy tried to repress them, to try and stay rational about it, she soon learned she was fighting a loosing battle with that. That only succeeded in making her destructively angry. With an irritated huff Katy rolled over to face the wall, in her mind she went over what she remembered of the last day she was in the real world, just to see if there was any clue there. She came up with nothing, it was just an ordinary, boring day. _Nothing._ **_Danger_**

There were more voices coming from outside the door, they didn't fade away as they usually did, a few short words that Katy didn't quite catch, then the door opened. She peered over her shoulder to see a man in the door way, he carried a lamp in one hand, it seemed overly bright, blinding her briefly, but her eyes adjusted to the new light in the short time it took the man to walk over to her. He had a dark complexion, a heavy set brow, his hair was tightly braided to his scalp and a short goatee. Instinctively, Katy sat up, she watched him as he examined her. **_Danger._**

The man gestured for Katy to stand, she did so, then turned and walked out of the room in silence. Unsure what to do, she followed him. "My name is Talal," The man introduced himself as they walked, "I saved your life, it belongs to me now." _What?_ Katy stopped, shock overtook her, she tried to talk, to protest, but nothing came out. Talal halted and looked back at her, a small smile on his lips. "Do not fear, I am not a cruel man." _I beg to fucking differ._ Katy nodded reluctantly. "I saved your life, child." He started walking again, the girl followed, there was nothing else she could do.

"Our so-called God has abandoned his children, I have been trying to save the ones He has forgotten, the ones He leaves to die and suffer alone." They came to a flight of stairs that descended into yet another gloomy corridor, Katy's feet were getting sore again and the splintering wood of the staircase dug into the scabs that were just forming. "I take in those of need and send them to better places," Talal continued. "I told you I am not a cruel man, so you do not need to be scared." He unlocked the door at the end of the corridor and pushed it open, a foul stench washed over her. She tried not to gag. Danger.

Talal walked into the room after placing the lamp he held down on the floor just inside the door, the smell not phasing him, Katy trailed in behind him and tried to breathe as shallowly as possible. Another dark room, she could barely see, although there were lighter patches on what she could only assume were the walls, deep blue scattered with tiny lights. _The sky, they're windows!_ "You will stay in here now, girl." Talal said, stood beside an open door. The faint light of the lamp reflected dully on the metallic edge.

Katy stepped inside, there was no furniture. Barely there, in the darkness at the back of this tiny room, she could see thin stripes of vertical metal at regular intervals. _No!_ She turned to try and leave, but the door had already been slammed shut and locked by Talal. "No, please, you can't do this." Katy begged him. He smiled sadly, "I am truly sorry it has be like this, but you would be dead otherwise." Then he turned to leave the room, "Food will be brought to you in the morning." The door of the room banged loudly as it was shut, a faint rattling sound indicated it had been locked as well. "No!" Katy screamed into the darkness, "Please, please don't, I shouldn't even be here!" Huge sobs racked her body as she clung to the bars of the cage. "Let me go!"

* * *

><p><span>AN: The next couple of chapters will contain some pretty dark themes, self harm, suicidal thoughts along with some intense emotional trauma. It won't be overly graphic as this rated T, but if anything like that triggers you, you have been warned.

Well, thanks for reading, I hope you're enjoying reading this as much I enjoy writing it. Please let me know and review!

Thank you to those who have faved, followed, reviewed so far! x


	6. Chapter 6

Part 6

Katy screamed into the dark room until her throat was raw, her voice broke, she clawwed at the lock until her nails snapped and fingers were bled. It was hopeless, there was no getting out. With a pitiful moan she sank to the floor and curled up , she drifted in and out of sleep but every tiny noise woke her. Now that Katys ears had stopped ringing she could hear everything. The dry rasp of other people breathing, the scuff of a foot against the floor, the dull ring of metal against metal. The small sounds deafened her in the silence.

Every time Katy opened her eyes she looked over to the windows and every time she did so, the sky was gradually getting lighter. The room, although still quite dim, was illuminated by the natural light coming in through those windows. In a word, it was filthy. Katy crawled to the front of the her prison and grasped the bars, she counted eight other cages, one was empty, the others all had occupants who had clearly been here for a while. They were all still sleeping, seemingly undisturbed by all the noise she had made during the night.

One by one, the others began to wake up as the morning wore on. They barely glanced at her as they sat or stood up and watched the door. Soon, it opened and the two women who had bathed her, Jaida and Nu'm, came in balancing bowls and cups on large trays. "Jaida," Katy called over to the older woman, "Jaida, please let me go." She was ignored, the woman went to each cage and passed a bowl through the bars to eager hands, she was followed on her round by Nu'm who handed over a small cup to each person. When they reached her, Katy tried again. "Please, I just want to go home." Nu'm paid her no attention and went to wait by the door as Jaida lingered. She opened her mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out, instead she just looked at Katy with sad eyes then left, locking the door behind her.

Katy stared at the door, ignoring the cup of water in one of her hands, but relishing the burning pain caused by the lip of the bowl pressing against the barely scabbed gash in the other. The longer she stared at the door, the harder she pushed the lip of the bowl into the cut. Everything that ever seemed real was slipping away, trapped in this impossible situation, there was nothing she could do. _The pain is real._ Katy thought to herself.

As the days went by, she clung to that thought while at the same time, quietly accepting there was no getting out of this. **_No easy way._** Katy didn't take comfort in hurting herself, it wasn't something she enjoyed, but it kept her grounded while everything else changed around her. The other people in the cages sometimes spoke quietly to each other, most of the time they were silent, people came and went with no particular regularity.

Jaida and Nu'm came with food and water twice a day, Talal sometimes visited bringing other strange people in, showing off the people in his captivity as if they were animals. Katy had a sudden moment of clarity the first time this happened, she wasn't eaves dropping on the conversation but a few words drifted through the fog of her mind, talk of money and the stranger pointed to a couple of burly looking men, the next morning they were gone. **_Talal. The slave trader from Jerusalem. Altair's third target in his hunt for the nine._**

Katy had stopped being surprised by these new thoughts that had been intruding in her mind, sudden thoughts with no prompting. They seemed a lot more rational than her usual, panicked ones so she listened to them intently and retreated into herself, blocking out the dark and disgusting world around her.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Another short one, it's better for the flow and feel I want this story to have.

Thanks again to those following the story and thank you to people who have left reviews, I love hearing from you guys! x


	7. Chapter 7

Part 7 (There is depiction of self harm in this chapter, if you don't want to read, there is a short summary in the author's note)

There were times when Katy was dozing she saw her family, it seemed like she was looking at them through frosted glass. When this happened it made her heart ache, it made her lonely, it made her long for home. Katy's mother was always crying, begging to have her daughter back. "I miss my baby." She sobbed while her husband held her, his face grave, quietly sad and unmoving. Jamie looked directly at her, through the glass, a pained and bewildered look in his eyes, Jenny rubbed small circles on his back to comfort him. Sometimes Katy could just glimpse the shadow of a figure sat between herself and her family with muffled sounds that sounded almost like talking permeating the air.

Katy desperately wanted to talk to them, to reach out and say everything was okay, that she was trying to figure out a way home, nothing ever came out. They were too far away. No matter how hard she tried, they would never hear her. So when she eventually snapped out of the strange daydreams, she would cry, then she would take the sharp, jagged shard of pottery she had acquired when she broke a bowl, press it hard against the soft flesh of her thigh and pull and pull and pull until her mind stopped shouting.

Of course, existing in a place as dirty as this, the open wounds were prone to infection. When Jaida or Nu'm found her leaning against the bars of her cage, red surrounding her, they would ask her questions she didn't hear, then they would take her away, clean her up, put her back in the box. When Talal found Katy in this state he would quietly berate her as he dragged the barely conscious girl to a bath room, tell her that if she didn't want saving he would just kill her. One time she told him to get on with it, _I would rather be dead than here._ He ignored her, and whenever she was found with blood trailing down her legs and pooling on the floor he would throw a cover over her cage and summon the women.

Time was a mystery to Katy. She knew when it was day and when it was night, but never counted how many times the cycle had repeated. Everything that happened in the waking world blurred to the point of incoherence. The past couple of days had been slightly different. Talal had brought more strangers to look at his 'produce', but more and more often they were becoming interested in her. Normally the slavers wanted men to carry out physical labour, Katy was glad she was normally overlooked. She knew why men bought female slaves. The thought made her shudder. Katy would push herself as far back in the cage as it was possible to be.

"...Nearly three weeks she has been here and no real interest," Katy heard Talal's voice approaching, she scrambled to the back of her cage, eyes wide and breathing heavy, she hissed in pain when she jabbed her her thigh with the point of her elbow as she rushed to get away from that voice._Three weeks?_ **_Three weeks.._** "I would be happy with any price, but he has named a decent amount." The door was unlocked and pushed open, Talal entered with an unknown man, quiet elderly, he wore a long, black robe with a white motif on each sleeve and a heavy metal cross around his thin, wrinkled neck. "Goodness only knows why, look at the pathetic creature." And they both did, hard looks filled with distaste. "Half mad, wretched and thin. But that is beside the point. He wants to buy her and I need to sell her, she puts off potential clients for any of the others." The old man nodded in agreement, casting a brief glance around the room at the others. "He could not take her himself at such short notice, and I know you are on your way back to Acre, if you could take her with your usual cargo, I would be ever grateful."

The old man bent down and looked at Katy, his eyes seemed to bore straight through her. His brow furrowed, his lips moved ever so slightly, he then straightened and nodded. "This one is broken," He said to Talal, still gazing at Katy. It made her feel uncomfortable, like he was stripping her bare. **_Danger._** Her breath hitched and caught in her lungs, she tried to take in more air but nothing, it was like trying to breathe in a vacuum. "Perhaps beyond repair, she harms herself." His eyes flicked away from hers to look at her thigh and back again in less than a second. Katy looked as well, blood was oozing through the rough fabric of her robe where she knocked herself with her elbow. "Yet," He continued as Katy looked back to him, "Scared to die."

All Katy could see was this man, this old man. Nothing else existed at this point. Not the cage, the others, Talal, this whole insane world. They weren't real, they fell away. It was just this one man. He was real. Katy _saw_ him. And he saw her, all of her. _Who are you?_ The spell was shattered when Talal spoke. "But you will take her?"

"Yes," The man confirmed the request and turned to face Talal, "I shall take to Acre, she is so small it would make little difference to one of the pack horses." The men walked away from her slowly and Katy began to breathe a little easier.

"You have my thanks, Garnier." Talal stated.

"And a share of the 'decent amount', I hope." The old man replied with a low chuckle.

_Garnier?_

**_De Naplouse. The doctor._**

Katy let out a shaky breath once the men had left the room. She pressed a closed fist against her thigh and twisted her wrist, the rough fabric between her knuckles and the open wound produced a satisfying jolt of pain. The relief Katy felt when she realised she was escaping this cage was short lived, she would be in the company of a man who tortured people and called it doctoring, she was being taken to a man who had bought her. While this place was unpleasant, it was safe, it was away from the open world. She twisted her wrist again, opening the cut on her leg further, blood seeped through the robe and tracked down her leg, warm, thick. It almost tickled.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Darker places in this one, as I said, not very graphic. If you have any issues with the way it's presented, let me know, I have no intention to be flippant about a very serious issue. Thanks to everyone reading, (almost 500 views, wow! *squishes all of your faces*) and remember I always appreciate feedback, please review! x

Summary:  
>There is a bit of a time jump during this chapter, we find out Katy has been in Jerusalem with Talal for nearly three weeks, while there she has visions of her family which has devastating consequences on Katy's already deteriorating state of mind. While buyers weren't interested in Katy, she has recently been bought by a client in Acre. Talal has commissioned Garnier de Naplouse to transport her there along with some other people.<p> 


	8. Chapter 8

Part 8

Katy fought, she shouted and punched and kicked and bit at the people that tried to get her out of the cage and into a pair of manacles. She writhed and squirmed, even tried to run once, but the faceless men overpowered her, they bound her hands tightly with a rough bit of rope, locked the manacles around her ankles and unceremoniously dumped her in the supply wagon of the caravan.

Everything surrounding that event was a bit of a blur to Katy, she was panicking, all of the fears she had tried to quash during the night boiled over when two large men came into the room that morning. The voice in the back of her mind told her to remain calm, of course Katy had ignored it. It wasn't the right time for rational thought, despite the lethargic feeling that had hovered over her since she arrived in this world, Katy used every ounce of energy she muster, but it wasn't enough. So, laying on her side in wagon, completely spent, Katy let sleep take her.

It took a few days to reach Acre, Katy was ignored for most of the journey. The first night, one of the men had a lot of wine and tried to grope her. She yelled and stumbled away from him, Garnier threatened to have his hands removed, the rest of the party stayed away from Katy after that, only speaking to offer her food or water, most of which she turned down. They moved at a leisurely pace, only travelling in the morning and late afternoon to avoid the scorching midday sun.

When they finally reached the war-savaged city they paused briefly outside the walls to remove the shackles from the men Garnier had taken from Talal and sell the remains of their travel supplies. The rest was stored in one of the few warehouses still intact. Once that was all done Garnier led them past the guards at the gate and into the labyrinth of city streets. The party got bigger as they ventured further, guards in black tunics joined them, uninvited but not turned away. **_Garnier's men, Hospitaliers._**  
>After what felt like a life time of walking they approached a rather imposing looking building. Large, square and grey, vast wings enclosed a courtyard with a well at the centre, the sun was high in the sky, but it seemed to be casting an ominous shadow. Katy knew this place, she looked around taking it all in. It was exactly the same as the game, everything was in the same place, everyone dressed the same. She stared hatefully at the back of Garnier's head. <em>I killed you here, I killed you because you were torturing these people.<em>

Almost like clockwork, like it had been done a hundred times before, the guards that had joined them in the city separated the group, leading people away through various doors, leaving Katy with Garnier and one other guard. She shivered when Garnier turned to look at her. **_Don't buy anything he says. _**_I know, he's the bad guy!_ Katy blinked. _Huh, that was weird._ The doctor didn't say anything, he just looked, he circled her and looked. When he eventually spoke, it was chilling.

"A shame I could not keep you with me," Garnier said while shaking his head. He stopped in front of Katy and smiled, "You are far more broken than anyone I have had before." He tutted a couple of times and shook is head. "You do not even realise it, do you, girl?" The old man sighed and began to walk away, "Come, I will show you where you are staying tonight."

Katy stayed in the small room Garnier had led her to for the rest of the day, food was brought to her, but it looked unappetising, despite being painfully hungry, she just couldn't bring herself to eat. Instead, Katy alternated between sobbing her heart out and gouging at the scabs on her thighs. She was slumped against the wall opposite the large, square window when she heard a strange scuffing sound, it seemed to be coming from outside the building. Katy glanced at the window, _Nothing, it's nothing,_ then looked down at her hands, a thin layer of dried blood covered the tips of her fingers, they felt sticky when she clenched them into fists.

The night seemed no different to the many Katy had spent in Jerusalem. It was dark, lonely and cold, the only improvements were that she had an actual bed and it lacked the smell of a cesspit. If she could mute the sounds of shouting coming from the hospital, it could almost pass for peaceful. She crawled over to the small bed in the corner of the room, despite how tired she felt, Katy couldn't get to sleep, she tossed and turned for most of the night. Katy eventually drifted off into a dreamless sleep just as the sky began to get light.

Katy was rudely awoken a few hours later by the sound of a blood curdling scream. Breathing hard, she bolted to the door, mercifully, it was unlocked. She pulled it open and, for some reason, ran towards the sound. There was a loud crack, like someone snapping a large tree branch, immediately followed by another pain filled screech. Katy stopped as she reached the walkway that overlooked the courtyard. A man was being supported by two Hospitalier guards, his legs were quite obviously broken. They were dangling limply, scraping the ground. Garnier stood over him, berating the poor man then ordered that he be taken away.

It was then Katy realised what happening. Or what was about to happen. She looked over at the entrance of the courtyard and _yes there!_ saw a group of scholars, there was one that wasn't quite like the others. His robes not as white, the way he stood wasn't as relaxed, a sword at his hip. _Altair._ Katy watched him watch Garnier. Her grip on the railing tightened, it was fascinating. She had done this, it was like she was playing the game again. The assassin must have felt her eyes on him, just as he broke away from the group scholars to follow Garnier on his rounds, he looked up at her, his eyes narrowed slightly. Just a split second, but then he was back to the task at hand, stalking his prey.

.

* * *

><p><span>AN: As I was reading over this before posting I was debating whether or not I should rewrite this chapter, it just doesn't feel like a very strong one. It bounces around a bit, but I didn't want to draw out the "intro" part of the story more than I have.. I dunno. Ah, well, it's done now. I still might adjust it a bit at some point in the future, but it sits well enough for now.

Thank you all again for reading, and to my followers and those who have reviewed! x  
>Please review, I really love to hear from you guys, any and all feedback is appreciated! xx<p> 


	9. Chapter 9

Part 9

Everything happened quite fast after that. Katy watched Altair disappear into the hospital after Garnier then quickly found her way downstairs and into the main area where the patients were kept. The familiar smell of too many unwashed people living in a confined space wafted around, there were incense burners dotted around the place, but all they did was fill the air with smoke, making it difficult to breathe properly. Katy was surrounded by the sounds of pain, it was never quiet, a constant murmur of soft moans and an occasional outburst of shouting.

There was no need for Katy to try and hide, she was essentially a patient here until the man that bought her came to claim her, Garnier hadn't told her to stay in the room, only said to not try and run away. She certainly looked the part, bone thin, dark circles under her eyes, ratty hair tucked under a head scarf that was the same sandy colour as her dirty robe.

Katy stood by a pillar and watched Garnier do his rounds, he was currently talking to a man who was sat on his bed, leaning forward with his elbows on his knees and shaking violently. _**You could distract him, make this easy for Altair.**_ Katy squinted when that thought popped into her head and let herself smile. _Yes, I could._ She looked around, just to see if she could spot the assassin, he wasn't anywhere to be found, but he was definitely here.

Garnier moved away to see to another patient while Katy debated whether or not she should get involved with this. She would essentially be assisting a murder, taking a man's life, though she had done it many times in the game, this was different, this was real and, despite everything she knew about the man, he had done nothing to harm her. In fact, he had gone out of his way to help her. Katy didn't know if that was okay.

A piercing scream cut through Katy's train of thought. That made up her mind. Garnier was torturing these people, he was helping a slaver trade lives as if they were bags of food, he maims people when they try to return to freedom. _Definitely not okay._ She set herself, took a deep breath and approached Garnier. He looked up at her when she got close, a puzzled look on his face.

"Why are you down here, child?" The doctor asked as he straightened and wiped his bloody hands on his already stained apron.

"I, uh," Katy stuttered slightly, and mentally kicked herself. _Should have thought of something before I came over here._ "Um, I'm hungry, I was wondering if I could have some food?" **_Wow._** _Shut up._

"Oh, if that is all." Garnier seemed to relax a little, he smiled and walked over to Katy and guided her back through the hospital towards the courtyard. "I shall get someone to bring you something soon, but you should not be in here," He chided delicately, "Why not spend some time in the yard, the fresh air might benefit you."

"I-I didn't know, I'm sorry, I jus-"

Garnier held up a hand to stop her. "No need to apologise, just do not wander in there again, you might see things that no woman should have to see." Katy nodded and turned to look at the doctor as he opened the large wooden door to the yard. She gasped, her eyes wide. Garnier started to look over his shoulder at what she had seen, "What is i-" But he didn't finish as Altair reached around his neck, grasped his chin firmly with his right hand and pressed the blade that sprouted from his left wrist against the doctor's neck.

* * *

><p>.<p>

* * *

><p><span>AN: I know, I know I initially said I'd be posting every 2 - 4 days, but I'm just so excited to get on with the next stage of the story. This is the penultimate chapter of my "Phase One" and it will be the last short chapter for a while. The Assassins will start to feature a bit more after the next chapter.. I'm so excited!

Thank you all for reading, I can't tell you how much it means to me that so many people are taking time to look at my story. I'd love to hear from you, let me know what you think, please review! I reply to them all.  
>Massive thank you to those who have reviewed! x<p> 


	10. Chapter 10

Part 10

The men had moved away from her slightly, even so, Katy backed away and tried to melt into the wall behind her. She watched in stunned silence as Altair questioned the doctor, the words they exchanged were quiet and unhurried. She wondered why Garnier didn't call for help, it was like he had already accepted his death even though he remained unharmed. Throughout the conversation, Altair kept throwing Katy small, suspicious glances. _Does he recognise me?_

"You truly believe you were helping them?" Altair asked the doctor, his voice was full of doubt and unvented frustration, his face, barely visible beneath the shadow of his hood, was contorted in a mask of confusion.

Garnier sighed, his body seemed to deflate. "It is not what I believe," He spoke to the assassin, but looked Katy directly in the eye, "It is what I know." Then he bowed his head forward and waited to die. Almost reluctantly, Altair pushed the hidden blade into Garnier's neck.

He was dead. Blood poured out of the wound on his neck as Altair lowered the body to the floor. Katy knew what happened now and watched the assassin pull a feather from one of the leather pouches on his belt, he knelt and brushed it lightly against the still bleeding neck of Garnier then stood and, once again, looked at Katy.

_He should be running._ Altair stepped over the corpse between them, careful to avoid the puddle of blood, and stood directly in front of Katy. She shrank away from him, her back pressed hard against the wall, and whimpered oh so quietly. "P-please don't kill me." Almost stunned by her reaction, Altair took a half-step back.

The sound of approaching footsteps drew both of their attention, Altair looked quickly between the corpse of Garnier, the door to the courtyard and Katy. "Thank you for luring him away," The assassin said, "You should leave here." Then he made for the door, he was barely out of it when Katy figured out how to function again. _I shouldn't follow him, I really shouldn't._ _**That could be your ticket out of here.**_

She quickly followed him through the door and saw he was already halfway across the courtyard when Katy found her voice. "Altair, wait!" She called after him. He stopped and turned so quickly it made her feel a bit dizzy. Altair strode over to her, grabbed her around the waist and sprinted out of the hospital just as the alarm was raised, alerting the entire building to Garnier's death.

Altair stopped once they were a safe distance away from the hospital. He set her down in an alley and held her against the wall, he was breathing heavily and glaring at Katy. "How do you know my name?" He demanded, his eyes ablaze with anger.

"I'm sorry," Katy gasped as her lungs clenched in fear, her heart was beating rapidly, she could hear the pounding of it in her ears, like pressure was building in her head. She blinked back tears when she heard the familiar rasp of metal. _He's going to kill me._ "No, please, I don't.." Katy's vision seemed to blur and the world span. She pitched forward, unable to stand any longer, and gripped the robes of what must be a very confused assassin to try and remain upright. Then she felt an intense burning sensation in her side, closely followed by some rushed words she couldn't quite hear. Katy blinked and shook her head to try and clear her head, it was no good. Her entire body felt like it was on fire, pain was everywhere. _I must be dying._**_No._**

Katy felt like she was floating, everything around her was out of focus, sounds were distant and muffled, although a regular, high pitched beep cut through her clouded mind. She groaned and tried to look around, this prompted a flurry of movement, something grabbed at her hand. When Katy tried to pull away, her arm felt heavy, like it wasn't fully under her control.

As Katy drifted she caught the odd bit of conversation people around her were having. The voices were so familiar, but she couldn't quite place them, she listened intently, hoping to catch anything, (anything) that could be a clue as to what on earth was going on. "...state seems to be deteriorating..." A strange male voice said. A female voice responded, but she didn't hear the first few words. "...miss my baby." At the sound of that voice Katy's stomach lurched, a pang of longing hit her hard. _Mum!?_ "...don't understand what caused this." The low male voice sounded like distant thunder until it came into focus. "...mustn't blame yourself."

The voices seemed to float away, Katy tried to chase them, but she was brought back to her new reality. She opened her eyes, that act alone was a great effort, and found herself supported by a large cushion and covered with a light blanket. When she tried to sit up, a sharp stabbing sensation in her stomach forced her back down. Katy gasped and gulped down air greedily to try and alleviate the pain.

She pushed the blanket away and saw she was wearing a loose tunic and trousers instead of her robe, Katy pulled her top up to reveal a thick bandage around her abdomen. _He actually stabbed me!_

As Katy couldn't really move without causing herself to much pain, all she could do was take in her surroundings until someone came for her. So that's what she did. There wasn't much to take in. A smallish room with tall walls made of a warm coloured stone. A water feature built into the walls at each end of the room and a single door way at the opposite end led into another part of the building, but whoever laid her down positioned her in such a way that she couldn't she through. Katy sighed and pushed her head back into the cushion. _If I'm not mistaken, I would say I'm in an Assassin's Bureau._

* * *

><p><span>AN: And so ends Part 1 of Reality. I know it got a bit 'cliché fanfiction' towards the end there, sorry, haha. But our poor, lost Katy is in the ...safe and capable hands of the Assassins now.

Thank you all for your support so far, I hope you stick with this story and continue to enjoy it.  
>As always, I love to hear from you guys, so please leave a review! x<p> 


	11. Chapter 11

Part 11

Katy must have dozed off at some point, she woke to the sound of an angry voice coming from the next room. She sat up, careful of the still painful wound on her side, in order to hear better. "No, no," The man's voice said, laced with disbelief and getting steadily louder, "You mean to tell me that you, a skilled assassin, managed to accidentally stab an innocent girl with a retractable blade?"

There was a murmured response, inaudible to Katy, she could tell it was Altair, his voice so easy to recognise. "Please, go on," The other man spoke up again. "I am keen to hear your explanation for, once again, breaking one our tenets." He let out a frustrated sound, Katy could almost picture him pinching the bridge of his nose as he continued to reprimand Altair. "After all that has happened, do you think our master will give you another chance?"

"I have apologised," Altair's voice was louder, more distinguishable, it was clear from the tone he was equally as frustrated with this situation as the person he was talking to. "I did not mean for it to happen, she fell." A loud scoff came from the other person. "She fell onto my blade," Altair insisted, "I could not have left her to die, Jabal."

"Perhaps not." Jabal responded, the sound of approaching footsteps warned Katy, she lay back and snapped her eyes shut as the two men appeared in the doorway. "You could have taken her to a doctor," the Rafik went on, "Instead you bring her here. I am no doctor, Altair! I trade secrets and information. I can not heal her, if that is what you are asking."

"No," The Assassin replied, he sounded tired now, weary. "That is not what I am asking, but I could not leave her to die, and I did not have time to leave her with a doctor." Altair exhaled deeply. "If she was to live, this was the only option, I apologise for the burden."

"You truly are determined to show you have changed." Jabal observed, a small amount of respect krept into his voice, she could hear a hint of a smile.

"Not only that," Altair went on, "She lured Garnier away from the main part of the hospital, away from potential witnesses." He sighed. "She knew my name." A long silence followed. Katy tilted her head and cracked her eye open, she watched the men through her eyelashes. **_Who are you kidding, you're not fooling them._** With that thought, she shot up again, startled by the intrusion. Katy gasped and clutched at her stomach as pain ripped through her.

Altair and Jabal didn't even flinch at the sudden movement, they merely watched her. The Rafik looked at Altair pointedly, "Now she is awake, perhaps she could give me her version of events?" The Assassin rolled his eyes and leaned against the door frame as Jabal approached Katy. "Do not move so much," He advised her with a gentle smile, "And when you are ready, I would like you to tell me exactly what happened."

Katy nodded, but her mouth remained firmly closed. Jabal had a kind face, old and wise, though it was mostly hidden by a thick white beard that covered his chin. He wore a long, black coat with intricate embroidery on the sleeves over his Assassin robes. He crouched next to Katy to help her sit up on the cushions.

"Perhaps you could tell me how you know the name of my surly friend." Jabal prompted when Katy remained silent. "Or why you helped him."

_Where do I start?_ Katy thought, _If I tell the truth they might kill me._ **_If you tell the truth they might help you._** She shook her head, it was hopeless. _I have to try, I'm tired of being weak and I want to go home._ The two men exchanged a worried glance as Katy battled with herself. Once she made up her mind she spoke up.

"It'll sound crazy." Katy was startled at the strength of her own voice. After weeks of near silence, it shocked her, she felt compelled to talk. "I can't begin to explain why I'm here, but I shouldn't be." Jabal frowned ever so slightly as she went on. "I'm from the future, I think, or I've been sucked into a video game, like I said, 'crazy'!" Katy let out a little laugh, not really sure why she continued to ramble on, but being able to tell someone, even if they thought she was insane, was a massive relief.

"That's how I know your name," She looked at Altair when she said this, "That's why I lured Garnier away, so much easier to sneak away than having to fight your way out." The Assassin pushed himself upright and crossed his arms as Katy addressed him. "You're the main character in the game, I've played out this part of your life so many times..."

She trailed off as Jabal held up a hand to stop her, he turned to Altair with a worried look. "Perhaps she has a fever, what she says is lunacy." He said to the Assassin, who nodded in agreement. Jabal stood and went into the next room, Katy wanted to call after him, to tell him what she was saying was true, but it was like someone had pressed a mute button.

Altair moved aside to let Jabal through, but otherwise remained still, he watched Katy making no effort to hide the confused expression on his face. When he spoke, it was so quiet Katy almost missed it, "Thank you," He said, "For helping, and I am sorry." He gestured at her to indicate the stab wound. Katy smiled sadly, but her attention returned to Jabal as he re-entered the room.

The Rafik carried a tray that held various beakers and phials along with a fresh dressing for her stomach. "I have something that should help you sleep," He explained as he walked over to her and knelt down again, "Cleaning the wound will be painful, it would be best if you did not feel it." Jabal set the tray on the ground and handed one of the beakers to her.

Katy took a long drink of the liquid, it was thick and overly sweet. As she continued to drink she felt a faint tingling in her toes and the tips of her fingers. Jabal took the cup from her when she finished and helped her lay back onto the cushions. Whatever was in the drink worked, her eyes felt heavy and the tingling gave way to a strange, numb throbbing, she didn't remember falling asleep, but she did.

* * *

><p><span>AN: So much dialogue, agh! D: The adventure begins! How will Katy cope with the Assassins? How will the Assassins cope with her? You'll have to keep reading to find out.

I can't even begin to say how overwhelmed I am by the amount I support I've received from you guys! It really means a lot that so many of you take the time to read this. Thank you so, so much!

Please review, send me a message, hit me up on Tumblr or whatever. I appreciate any and all feedback :) x


	12. Chapter 12

Part 12

That strange beeping was back. Katy frowned and opened her eyes, there were little lights surrounding her like stars, they made the room glow. She couldn't focus on anything, her mind still fogged from whatever Jabal had given her to drink. There was someone sat beside her, she could only see their silhouette in the faint light. Whoever it was, they were slumped forward as if they were sleeping, the features were so familiar, but Katy couldn't place them.

As Katy watched this person, they moved slightly causing their face to tilt towards her. She let out a loud gasp, the beeps in the background sped up. Her mother, the person sat beside her, grumbled in her sleep and moved around a bit more. _I'm home! I'm back! _Katy tried to sit up, to reach out to her, but found her movements very limited and sluggish. Whatever was in that sleeping draught had severely affected her motor skills.

Her mum stirred and her eyes slid open, slowly at first, but she must have seen that Katy was awake, that she was there, because they suddenly widened and she grasped Katy's hand, Katy tried to respond, to squeeze her mother's hand reassuringly, nothing happened, no reaction. "Baby, can you hear me?" Her voice was hushed, she sounded desperate and lost. _Can't she see I'm wide awake?_

Katy tried to reply, "M-mum," she stammered, "I'm right here." But her mother looked at her, as if she was still waiting for some kind of answer. Her grip on Katy's hand got tighter, so much so that it should have been painful, all she could feel was a light touch. Tears welled up quickly in her eyes then ran feely down her cheeks. _No, no you're not supposed to cry._ It broke Katy heart. "Please don't, mum," She was close to tears herself now. "I'm here, I'm home."

Again, there was no sign that her mother had heard her, instead she leaned over the bed and placed her over Katy's middle and pulled her into a hug. "I miss you," She sobbed, the sounds muffled by the blankets that had been pushed into her face, "I miss you, please come back."

Katy was getting more and more freaked out as the seconds ticked by, as her mother continued to cry, as she tried again and again to move, but couldn't. "Please, I'm here," She was almost shouting now, her voice sounded far away even in her own head, "I'm right here, I'm right here!" She squeezed her eyes shut to try and stop her own tears from falling. It was no good.

The air seemed to cool down, everything felt different all of a sudden and her mother was shaking her almost violently, she was shouting at her to wake up. Katy snapped her eyes open. Everything _was _different. It was still dark, she was still lying on something soft but uncomfortable, but she was back in the bureau and Jabal was leaning over her, Altair stood just behind him. Katy took a deep, shuddering breath as she looked between the two men.

Jabal peered at her, he looked concerned, "Are you okay?" He asked. He helped Katy sit up and offered her a cup of water. She took it and held it close to her chest.

Katy nodded and took a sip, she set the cup down and scrubbed her face with her hands. _This is getting too weird._ A growl of frustration escaped her and she moved her hands to pull at her hair. _I just want to go home._ "I'm fine," She whispered, more to herself than to Altair or Jabal, "Just a bad dream."

"If you are sure?" Jabal still seemed worried. Katy nodded again and picked at the hem of the blanket that draped over her knees. "Is there anything I can get for you?" This time Katy shook her head and sighed. _Nothing that would help._ "Okay," Jabal stood, turned and said something to Altair, who nodded, he never took his eyes off Katy. The men turned as if to return to the other room.

"Wait," Katy blurted out, they both looked back at her, "Why are you being so nice to me?" Before they could reply she went on, "I mean, I'm just some random girl." Her words were rushed, almost tripping over each other, but she needed answers. "You said it yourself," She looked at Altair, "You could've left me to die, why didn't you?" Then to Jabal, "Why are you looking after me?" Then to both, "Please, I just want to understand what the hell is going on."

There was a stunned silence following Katy's outburst, they just stared at her for a couple of seconds before Altair took a step towards her. "I could not let you die for two reasons." He started, his voice smooth and quiet with just a trace of hostility, "One, it is one of the laws I live by, I cannot kill an innocent." Altair took another step towards her, Katy tried to move away from him, fully aware of how dangerous he was. "Two, you know my name," His voice became little more than a whisper, Jabal reached out to place a hand on the Assassin's shoulder, but he shrugged it off, "I intend to find out how."

Katy's bottom lip began to tremble, she knew a threat when she heard one. The Rafik had put himself between herself and the Assassin, not wanting the situation to get out of hand, he placed his palm firmly on Altair's chest to stop his slow advance on Katy. "Please," He tried to reason with Altair, "You are scaring the poor child."

Altair huffed and stepped back again. He looked at Katy one last time then retreated to another pile of cushions on the far side of the room. Jabal left Katy to follow him. "Her fever has gone down and there is no infection." He said to Altair. "Get some rest, clear your head and talk to her in the morning. I did not go through all this trouble just for you to take her life away in a fit of anger."

"I know," Altair said, his voice was strained, conflicted, "I am sorry, after what Talal said-"

But Jabal cut him off, "You cannot trust the words of a snake, which even in death, produces venom." Altair simply nodded, Katy didn't hear what he said next, but Jabal was satisfied by whatever it was and came back over to her. "Try and sleep a bit more, you will feel better when rested."

Try as she might, Katy couldn't get back to sleep, every time she closed her eyes all she could see was her mother's exhausted face, hear her desperate cries of despair, acting like Katy had died. _Maybe I am dead in the real world._ That terrifying thought had never occurred to her before. **_No, you're not dead. You would know if you were dead._** _But-_ _**No, now stop.**_ "Shut the fuck up." Katy mumbled to herself and rubbed at her eyes.

These intrusive thoughts that barged their way into her head needed to stop, they had been helpful when she was Talal's prisoner, but now she'd had time to think about it, Katy realised it wasn't completely normal. It was bizarre, sometimes her mind would have a full conversation without any conscious effort from her. Hearing these little voices every now and then was the least of her worries, on top of everything else, it was probably the most sane thing happening to her.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Not much to say about this one, really, except thank you once again for taking the time to read my story. I hope you're all still enjoying it.  
>Let me know what you think and review!<br>Or if you just want to shoot theories about what's going on.  
>Or fangirl.<br>Or whatever.. I live for the feedback and I reply to everyone!  
>Also, a mass shoutout to everyone who has favouritedfollowed this story :D  
>Thanks again my lovelies x<p> 


	13. Chapter 13

Part 13

Katy gave up on any attempt at sleep, instead she stared at the ceiling and listened to the sound of Altair's breathing, soft, shallow and even. She tried not to think about the strange dreams she was having, or the conversations going on in her head, but with nothing else to do while she waited morning to come, the thoughts rolled through her mind followed by questions that she couldn't work out the answers to.

The thing that frustrated Katy the most was how helpless she felt about the whole situation. There didn't seem to be anything she could do to get out of this place._** Not that you've tried.**_ Katy let out an angry sigh. No, she hadn't really tried, being locked in a cage for the majority of her time here and then being stabbed by the supposed hero of the story didn't help.

Lost in thought, Katy didn't notice the sky was beginning to lighten, when she heard some movement in the next room she snapped out of her daydreaming and looked around. Jabal entered the room, he carried a cup and some food along with a clean bandage for her.

"Did you sleep at all?" He asked Katy, he put everything he was holding on the floor and helped her sit up. She nodded but Jabal obviously didn't believe her. "Do not lie, child." He said with a small smile, then handed Katy the cup.

As she took a sip, she was relieved to find out it was just water. Katy set the cup back down and picked at the food. It was some kind of pastry, it was quite tasty, and very sweet. It tasted more like a dessert than a breakfast food, she didn't complain, compared to anything else she had been offered it was absolutely delicious. "This is really good." She said to Jabal. For the first time since she had been here, Katy managed to eat the whole thing.

"It is good to see you eat something," Jabal smiled again. "You are so thin you would not survive a hard winter." He went to pull down the blanket that covered Katy, but paused before he touched it. "May I?" He asked, Katy nodded, shocked that he would even ask.

As Jabal inspected the wound, Altair woke, without a word, he rose from his pile of cushions and went to the next room to dress and get himself some food, he then sat and silently watched the Rafik rebind Katy's stomach. "There is no infection," Jabal informed her, "And it is not deep, it should heal well enough if it is kept clean."

"Thank you."

Katy winced as Jabal pulled the bandage tight and tied it off. The Rafik stood back from her and sighed, he glanced at Altair then back to Katy. "I suppose the sooner this is done, the better." Jabal said to no one in particular, he gave Altair a pointed look as he went back to the main room to give them some privacy. "Be nice."

"When am I not?" The Assassin called after him, a little smirk on his face.

"You are impossible." Jabal shouted back, a smile evident by the way he spoke.

A knot of fear manifested itself in the pit of Katy's stomach, on one hand it seemed irrational, there was no reason to be afraid, on the other, it was perfectly reasonable whilst in close proximity to a trained killer. Katy tried to push it down and away as the Assassin made his way across the room and sat opposite her.

It was strange to see him like this, if she didn't know who and what Altair was, he could have passed for any ordinary person on the street. He wasn't wearing his robes, instead he wore loose fitting trousers and a tunic, the only weapon he had was his hidden blade. With no hood he looked almost vulnerable, but Katy knew, just from the way he held himself, that was as far from the truth as it was possible to get. He didn't need a weapon to kill her.

"You do not need to be afraid," Altair said softly, "I am not going to hurt you." He fidgeted a bit while he spoke, as if she was as uncomfortable about the whole situation as she was. "I apologise for the way I was last night."

_If I want to get out, I have to start somewhere, I need him on my side._ "It's fine," Katy replied, then scoffed slightly before she went on, "If you think this is weird for you, you have no idea." Altair's eyes narrowed, a silent question she was willing to answer. "I wasn't lying."

"What is your name?"

Katy was a bit taken aback by how blunt he was. Did you expect anything less? ((Shut up.)) She let out a frustrated sigh before answering: "Katy."

"Okay, _Katy_, You honestly expect me to believe that you are from the future?" The Assassin asked, the tone of his voice indicated that he didn't. "Or that I am some character in a game you play?" He sat back and waited for an answer.

Katy weighed her options, the few she had anyway. "You want me to prove it?" Altair nodded in response to the question. "Fine." Katy pursed her lips before she went on. "Your name is Altair Inb-La'Ahad, you are an Assassin from Masyaf, a Master Assassin until very recently." Altair's eyes had widened, there was no other reaction from him, so Katy continued. "You were demoted because you broke all three tenets of your Creed when you were sent to retrieve the Apple of Eden from Robert de Sable for your Master, Al Mualim."

"An ordinary girl would not know these things." Altair interrupted her, he had tensed slightly as Katy spoke, "But this does not prove anything, you could be a spy."

"Fine!" Katy searched her mind for a bit of information about the Assassin that no one would know. Then something sprung to mind, not from the game, but the book. The only other person that believed the truth was Al Mualim. "Abbas' father, Ahmad, he committed suicide because of the guilt he felt for your father's death."

_That's done it!_ Altair's face paled and he went completely still, he even seemed to have stopped breathing for a little while. "No one knows.." He stared at Katy, lost for words "How?"

"I've been asking myself the same question." Katy said to him.

Altair stumbled to his feet, it was bizarre to see him so shaken, caught off guard, "This is impossible." He ran a hand through his short hair and leaned back against the wall. Katy tried to stand as well, it was difficult, but she managed to get upright.

She just stood for a little while, to catch her breath and let Altair try and process the information. "It's weird, I know." Katy eventually agreed. "I shouldn't be here, all I want is to go home, leave you to your world and me to mine."

"Wait." Altair's head shot up and he looked directly at her, as if he was trying to figure something out."You say you have played this 'game', or are from the future, and you know about my past." Katy nodded, a bit worried about where this was going. "Do you know what will happen in my future?"

* * *

><p><span>AN:  Would have posted this earlier but it's been a super busy weekend, but here it is. Superfun Altair times.

Thank you all for reading this far, please review if you like :) x

Quick additional note: I now have a dedicated writing blog on Tumblr (andalusafics) where I''ll be posting a few behind the scenes things as well as new chapters, concepts for future fics and some original short stories!


	14. Chapter 14

Part 14

_Do I tell him?_ That was the big question now. It overshadowed the never ending 'why?' and 'how?' that constantly revolved in Katy's mind. It certainly wasn't a question she had considered, although she should have seen it coming, and one she was most definitely not prepared to answer. Katy didn't think she would end up in the company of any Assassin, let alone Altair. There were two options, neither of them seemed to have a good outcome to her.

_Tell him, he won't believe me and kill me for suggesting his master is actually the enemy. My word against Al Mualim. Don't tell him, he gets angry and leaves me to fend for myself._

Of course death didn't seem too appealing, so Katy tried to think of a way to make herself useful, if she stayed alive it would give her time to try and find a way out of here. _No,_ she decided, _I can't risk any chance of getting home._

Even though Katy didn't actually know the man, she felt bad. She knew everything about his life, she had _been_ him for some of the most important parts. Now the worst part was knowing that she could save Altair all the trouble and heart ache, but made the choice not to. There didn't seem a fair way to tell him.

"Katy?" Altair's voice pulled Katy out of her reverie. "Can you tell me?" He was looking at her, an almost hopeful expression on his face.

Katy shook her head, she couldn't look at him so closed her eyes. Her hands curled into tight fists, nails digging into the palms. "I-I'm sorry, I don't think I can." She said quietly, as she brought her head up and looked over his shoulder. "I just..." An angry sigh escaped Katy's lips, she desperately wanted to say something. "I can't."

"Why?" The Assassin demanded, confused. "Do you not know?"

"I do," Katy told him, "I just don't think I can say anything." That made Altair look even more confused, he took a step back and crossed his arms, desperate for him to understand, Katy went on. "I mean, I can't say bad things won't happen, but what if it's supposed to happen, if I tell you, you might do something different."

That didn't to anything to placate Altair, it didn't do anything to worsen his mood either. He just stood there and stared at Katy for a few seconds then walked away into the other room. The sound of slightly raised voices drifted through the doorway, but it was lost on Katy.

_**That could have gone worse.**_ Katy leaned back against the wall, she squeezed her eyes shut and let out a long, shuddering breath. _It could have gone better! _As she unclenched her fists Jabal came out of the other room and over to her. Tears threatened to spill out of Katy's eyes when she opened them to look at him.

The Rafik offered a sad smile and placed a hand on Katy's shoulder. "Always do what you think is right, child." The words seemed oddly profound and out of context to what had just happened. Katy nodded anyway. "He is taking you to see our master, Al Mualim."

"What!?" That was the last thing Katy expected to happen, instead of being left on her own, she was being taken to the one person she wanted to be furthest from. Not even 30 seconds after meeting the corrupted leader of the Assassins in the game, she knew something was up, he couldn't be trusted. Now she was apparently going to meet this manipulative, evil man in person. That thought alone was enough to make Katy start panicking.

Jabal made a face, confused by Katy's overreaction to the news. "Altair has his reasons," He explained, "Although he did not wish to discuss them with me."

"What if I don't want to go?"

"You do not have a choice." Katy turned to see Altair returning to the room, he had his robes on and a determined expression on his face. "We are leaving as soon as I get back."

Katy's mouth dropped open, she was going to protest, but Altair was gone. He scaled the wall, pushed the grate on the roof open and disappeared. She turned to face Jabal who just shrugged. "I can't go." She insisted. "I'm not going to see _him._" Katy pushed her hair back and out of her face, then crossed her arms.

Jabal watched her with interest, he tapped a finger thoughtfully against his bottom lip. "May I ask why you are so reluctant to go to our master?"

Katy stopped fidgeting and looked at him. Unsure what to say, if she should say anything at all. She was desperate for an excuse, but non came to her. Instead she went with the most vague version of the truth she could come up with. "I just never really liked him in the game."

_**Wow, your abysmal ad lib skills never cease to amaze me.**_

"Oh, my god! Shut up!" Katy shouted before she could help herself. She quickly clasped both hands over her mouth and stared at Jabal, who, at the sudden outburst, jumped. He had produced a knife from somewhere and held it defensively. "I'm sorry." Katy mumbled from behind her hands. "I-I don't.. I'm sorry." She sank down onto the cushions and buried her head in her hands.

The Rafik quickly stashed the knife away once he realised there was no threat and crouched near her, not as close as he had been doing, Katy noticed. (_e's scared of me now._ He reached out to put a reassuring hand on her arm, but she flinched away at the lightest touch. Jabal raised both his hands and sat back on his heels. "I will pack some spare clothing and food for your journey." He said quietly. Then he was gone.

_I can't go to him,_ Katy thought, _If he uses the apple to get information out of me, the Templars will win, if he uses the apple th-_ "The apple!" She exclaimed. Something in her mind clicked into place and her head shot up, for the first time since she had been here, Katy felt hopeful. For the first time, she felt as if she had a chance. Even if it meant somehow getting around Al Mualim to get to the apple, it was a risk she was willing to take. That's when Katy decided that she would get out, she would get home. _No matter what it takes._

* * *

><p><span>AN: The moving ball is gathering speed. Our dear Katy still has some issues to work out, but we are getting there. We'll find out Altair's motives for bringing Katy to Masyaf next chapter.

Thanks to everyone for reading. Thank you to everyone who has favourited the story!  
>Please review! x<p> 


	15. Chapter 15

Part 15

It wasn't long before Altair returned from wherever he went and they were out of the city and on the road to Masyaf. Katy wasn't used to riding a horse, in fact she had never ridden one before in her life. She had ridden a donkey once, many years ago, when she had visited the seaside with her family, that was nothing compared to this. It was almost like torture. Her back ached, her thighs were sore and she felt the beginnings of a migraine coming on from being out in the bright sunlight for so long.

After a couple of hours, as the sun reached its peak in the sky, they turned off the road and into the shelter of a small grove of trees close to a cliff wall. The trees themselves didn't provide much shade, but the small respite in dappled sunlight away from the almost suffocating heat was greatly appreciated. Although thankful for the opportunity of rest, Katy was reluctant to dismount her horse. She didn't know if she would be able to get back on. Still, she got of the horse, almost falling in the process, and quietly accepted the food and water Altair offered her.

The aforementioned Assassin hadn't said a word to her. Altair moved between the horses, ensuring they were comfortable, before he settled on the ground and had a small amount of food and water himself.

Katy knew he was watching her, as she stood there, unable and unwilling to even try and sit down. She looked between the flask in one hand and the chunk of bread in the other with a bewildered look on her face. Instead, she walked over the one of the trees to try and get out of the sun as much as possible and nibbled at the bread. It was hard, dry and almost salty to taste.

Once the shadows began to elongate on the ground and the air cooled, Altair decided it was time to move on. He swung easily into his saddle, fully expecting Katy to do the same. He turned to face her as she struggled to get a foot in the stirrup, pain clearly evident on her face. She stamped and cursed, before trying again, to no avail. A frustrated moan escaped her as she leaned against the extremely patient horse.

"Put your foot back in the stirrup." Altair ordered her as he moved his horse to the opposite side of Katy's.

Katy looked up at the Assassin with tears in her eyes, she wiped them away with her sleeve and did as he said, trying her hardest to not let out a gasp as her back twinged and muscles burned, she gripped the pommel of the saddle as she was shown back in Acre, but Altair leaned over and pulled her right hand off and held the wrist in a tight grip.

"When I pull, you push off the ground as hard as you can." He instructed her.

When Altair pulled on her arm, it felt as though is was being wrenched out of the socket. Katy closed her eyes and pushed up. Somehow, she was now mounted on the horse, who tossed his head slightly and sidestepped away from Altair. Katy grasped the reigns and, as she followed the Assassin back to the road, tried to ignore the extreme discomfort that came from being back in the saddle.

They plodded along in silence, Katy looked around at the passing countryside. To her eyes, it was beautiful, but in some places the obvious turmoil of the Crusades was evident, felled trees, abandoned caravans and every so often, a corpse. The sight of these made Katy wretch slightly, a person left to rot as carrion, pecked and clawed at by scavenging animals instead of being decently buried. It was a sad sight she was forced to move past again and again.

Eventually she stopped looking around. It became too much. Katy settled her eyes on the back of Altair, he too was observing the surrounding area, but he looked beyond the sides of the road. She knew he was alert to any possible hostilities from the invading army of King Richard.

The afternoon wore on, only one or two words passed between the girl and the Assassin, they paused breifly at a small stream to allow the horses to drink and rest a while. They carried on until the sun began to set, when once again, Altair led them off the road, further back than before, and set up a small camp.

Once everything was to Altairs liking he came and stood next to Katy, who was gazing up at the sky. "I am going to rest for a short while." He said, making the girl jump slightly. She turned and looked at him, he handed Katy a small dagger. "If anyone approaches, wake me, and when you can not see clearly beyond that tree," He pointed at one about 10 metres away, "Wake me, I will keep watch after that."

Katy nodded and gripped the dagger tightly, once Altair was settled on his bedroll, she tested the edge of it against her thumb. She barely winced when the blade cut easily through her skin. A short, biting pain followed, but Katy didn't flinch. It was a feeling she was used to. She watched as blood beaded along the cut then wiped it away on her robe.

The evening was uneventful. A few people passed by, it was clear they were no threat, but she did as Altair told her and woke him each time. He merely rolled over to glance at the travellers, grunted, then rolled back over to sleep. Once the sun had almost completely set, Katy woke Altair for the final time that day and they swapped places. Katy tried not to grunt as she lowered herself to the ground, the bedroll providing little comfort against the uneven ground. Still, she drifted off to sleep soon after, the dagger still in her hand.

Katy woke with a gasp, the world seemed to tremble around her. She tried to sit up but found herself held back by some unseen force. A blind panic rose within her, she tried to keep it down as she looked around and realised she wasn't with Altair any more. Whatever she was lying on provided a lot better support than the bedroll, the air she breathed was clean, almost sterile and the bright white walls surrounding her were dazzling. Katy closed her eyes against them and the tremors subsided slightly, they became a constant, familiar vibration that she had almost forgotten.

_I'm in vehicle._ That realisation made her heart soar, almost brought a smile to her face. _I must be home._ Then she grinned and tried to open her eyes again, but found it nearly impossible, as if her body was refusing to obey her. Her entire body tensed as she willed herself to open her eyes, nothing happened. A low growl escaped her, followed by a loud sob."No." She whispered, anger, frustration and despair welled within her.

"I just want to go home." Katy repeated this again and again. Slowly becoming aware of someone distantly calling her name, asking if she was okay. Then, when she felt something grip her arm, she lashed out, breaking whatever invisible bonds that held her down before. "Leave me alone!" She screeched, shoving the hand away and wildly stabbing at the air with the dagger. "I just want to go home!"

"Katy!" The loud voice penetrated right through the thick fog of whatever reality she was currently in. Katy stopped and found herself facing a very bewildered, almost scared looking Assassin, his arms held out towards her in a defensive position. She looked down at the knife in her hand for a brief second, then, as if it had suddenly become red hot, dropped it to the floor.

"I'm sorry, I don't-" Katy faltered, she took a deep breath to try and compose herself. "I'm so sorry."

Altair took a careful step towards her as she let go of the dagger, then stooped to retrieve it. "The sun has started to rise," He said, his voice unwavering. "We should move on." The Assassin packed their small camp away around Katy, who was still too shocked to move. She didn't remember mounting her horse, in fact she could barely remember what happened for the next few days. After that incident, the next clear thing in her mind was waking in a soft bed, sunlight streamed through the narrow window directly into her eyes.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Happy new year! I hope you all had a fantastic holiday season and if any of you had any exams to take, I sincerely hope you've done well!  
>Thank you all for your patience during my brief hiatus and for your continued support for this story :)<p>

I appreciate and adore all feedback, please review! x


	16. Chapter 16

Part 16  
><span>(There are vague mentions of drug use in this chapter.)

Katy couldn't be bothered to sit up and look around at her new surroundings, there was no motivation, no reason to try and figure out where she was. Instead she lay on her back and stared at the grey stone ceiling above her. She just couldn't decide what she was feeling, _if_ she was feeling. Katy's mind felt empty and full to bursting at the same time. She wanted to scream and cry, to break something, to find a dark corner and be left to rot, to somehow not _be_.

It was strange, because she knew she should feel alarmed at those thoughts. There was some sort of detachment, as if something had slipped and was no longer in sync. This sensation abruptly reminded her of the times she spent visiting a friend that had gone to university, the delicious haze and freeing numbness fuelled by alcohol and a couple of joints before heading to a club. That was what it felt like: a drug induced high.

_Maybe that's it._ Katy thought. _Maybe this is just some elaborate hallucination._ A small surge of hope flowed through her, she threw a quick glance around the room, and then it was gone. Katy couldn't find it within herself to care. She exhaled sharply through her nose and went back to glaring at the ceiling.

Some time later, there was a soft tapping noise coming from somewhere, it took longer than it should have for Katy to realise it was someone knocking on the door. She pushed herself up and rested her weight on one forearm and twisted to look at the door with a small frown on her face. "Yes?" She called. The voice didn't sound like it belonged to her, like everything around her, it seemed distant.

"May I come in?" Altair's almost familiar voice came from the other side.

"Yeah." Katy replied and pushed herself up fully so she was sat cross legged on the bed facing the door.

It opened slowly, tentatively, and Altair entered the room. He gently pushed the door to, but didn't fully close it. The Assassin didn't move any further into the room, he watched Katy carefully from a distance. "Would you like any food?" He asked quietly.

Katy looked over Altair as she pondered the question, he was in his robes, but the hood was down. It was still strange to be able to see his face without it being hidden in shadows. There's something else that's a bit off, then Katy realised he's not fully armed. He's wearing his hidden blade, but apart from that, the only other visible weapons are the throwing knives tucked into his belt.

"Katy?"

"Huh?" Katy blinked and tried to focus. _Not that there's anything to focus on._

"Would you like anything to eat?" Altair asked again. Katy shook her head and looked away from him. "You have not had any food in three days, you need to eat." He insisted.

"I'm not hungry." Katy stated, picking her nails. The amount of dirt stuck under them was disgusting. There was silence for a short while as Katy attempted to gouge the dirt from under her nails. Then Altair sighed. "Al Mualim has requested you meet with him today."

Katy froze. Her entire body suddenly tense. "When?"

"As soon as is convenient."

Katy sighed and bowed her head. ((This is it.)) "May as well get it over with." She muttered and stood up off the bed.

A momentary look of shock flashed on Altair's face, he was clearly thrown by her decision, but he quickly recovered, nodded, opened the door and stood back to let Katy through.

As they walked through the castle of Masyaf, there seemed to be a constant whispering sound in the air, as if the echoes that followed when anyone spoke never quite died out. It was unnerving and sent shivers down Katy's spine, it had an almost suffocating, overbearing feel. She would understand the eerie atmosphere if the walls that surrounded her were dank and dark, closed off from the rest of the world, but the internal structure was open, light and warm.

Whilst playing the game, there were only limited parts of the fortress that could be explored, Katy always knew there was more to it, she just didn't realise how much more there actually was. There were stairs and hallways, so many doors and even more open archways, the views of the surround valley and mountains through the windows were breathtaking. She just couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched.

**You're in a building full of trained assassins...** Katy tutted and rolled her eyes at that obvious thought. The intrusive presence at the back of her mind seemed to have become a permanent fixture since the episode with Altair on the road. It never said anything significant, just scathing retorts to any thought Katy had.

Katy was so lost in her thoughts she didn't notice they had reached their destination. A sharp coughing sound brought Katy out of her reverie and she looked up. In that instant, she tried to remember why she had been so scared to meet Al Mualim. Here he was, stood in front of her and all Katy could really think was how deeply unimpressive he was.

.

* * *

><p><span>AN: Thank you all again for your support, please do review. I thrive on your feedback.

I do apologise if this one has a slightly weird feeling about it.. I ended up changing (read: re-writing) a lot (read: all of) this chapter and the ones to follow. Mostly because I changed how I wanted to end it. Which is probably the worst thing to in the middle of the whole process and some of it has already been delivered to the public.  
>Anyway, thanks again and please, please, please review! x<p> 


End file.
